The ever increasing need for recycling aluminum cans has led to the development of many different manually operable can crushers. Most operate on the principles of leverage to maximize mechanical advantage in crushing the cans. However, the complicated linkages and mechanisms involved increase manufacturing expense and, ultimately, the retail purchase price. High retail cost for such an item acts as a deterrent rather than an incentive for individuals to begin saving aluminum cans for recycling. The relatively low price per pound of aluminum will not quickly offset the purchase cost of such an item.
It has therefore remained desirable to obtain some form of apparatus that will eventually crush aluminum cans to a compact easily stored condition, and that can be inexpensively manufactured and retailed at a reasonable cost. It also remains desirable to obtain some form of crushing mechanism that will effectively crush aluminum cans with a minimal applied force.
Examples of existing can crushers may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,777,659; 3,776,129; 2,446,898; 4,333,397; 4,292,891; and 4,212,242. These patents all disclose various lever operated mechanisms for crushing cans. While the mechanisms of some are quite simple (U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,776,129 and 3,777,659) the operating forces required to crush the cans with these simplified devices is significant. The remaining, more complicated mechanisms involve multiple-step crushing procedures or complex mechanisms for achieving the desired results.